Consistency is Key: How Texas’ GoodBiz is Reshaping its Community

By Nazlin Bhimji | Chief Partnerships Officer, Global Good x Amani & Kimberly Lewis | President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of East Texas

In a world of quick fixes and flashy innovation, the real work of social change still happens quietly and steadily. It’s rarely glamorous. But it’s deeply effective. 

For the past five years, the GoodBiz program in Texas, a partnership between Goodwill Industries of East Texas and GGxAmani, has been doing that kind of local and deeply relational work. It’s not a one-time workshop or cookie-cutter training. It’s a hands-on, long-term commitment to supporting small business owners as they build financial sustainability and community wealth while developing their personal leadership skills. 

And it works. 

What began as a pilot initiative to support small business owners has grown into a replicable model for economic and community development. Now with five cohorts and collaborations with Goodwills in Central, TX, Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas, Indianapolis IN and Charleston, SC, GoodBiz is ready to scale even further.

The Model 

Participants start by getting clear on their goals. That sounds basic, but many entrepreneurs (especially those working solo or starting from limited resources) don’t have the space or guidance to set meaningful targets. This first step builds in time to focus the mission and prioritize what matters. 

Next comes stamina. Burnout is real, especially for mission-driven business owners who are constantly pouring back into their communities. GoodBiz equips entrepreneurs not just with practical business skills, but also with strategies to manage stress and create boundaries that support long-term leadership. 

From there, the work gets tactical. Participants learn about cash flow and pricing. They walk through how to pay themselves. They create real business plans. They practice team management. They explore delegation and leadership, not in theory, but in the everyday context of their own ventures. 

This combination of mindset, mechanics, and mentorship is what makes the program stand out. It’s not just about launching a business. It’s about running one well, with support and accountability built in. 

“Successful innovation requires commitment, consistency, and collaboration.”
– Monique Beedles

Consistency is Key

At its core, GoodBiz exists to answer a gap: what happens when someone has the vision and the drive to start a business, but not the tools or support to build it into something that lasts? What happens when traditional institutions like banks, governments, and even well-meaning nonprofits are too slow, too rigid, or too far removed to be helpful? 

Programs like GoodBiz step in with something simple but powerful: consistency and care. 

Many programs in this space rely on online courses and group sessions, but GoodBiz takes a different approach. It emphasizes group coaching and mentorship, which allows participants to tailor their development to their business’ specific needs. The organization is grounded in the belief that real growth comes from real relationships. 

That consistency matters, especially in communities where support can be unpredictable or transactional. When entrepreneurs know someone will keep showing up not just after the onboarding but through the whole journey, they begin to build with confidence. 

Think Globally, Apply Locally

GoodBiz also takes a global perspective and applies it locally. It draws on proven models of leadership coaching, mentorship and real life business acumen from around the world while staying deeply rooted in the specific context of locally-based entrepreneurs. This blend of global insight and place-based relevance makes the program nimble and grounded at the same time. 

And perhaps most importantly, it doesn’t operate in a vacuum. It recognizes that small businesses are the economic backbone of their communities. When they succeed, the benefits ripple outward. Families gain stability. Neighborhoods gain identity. Generational wealth becomes possible. 

A Call for Support

None of this happens overnight. But it does happen, with the right support. Whether you’re a philanthropist with resources to give or an everyday consumer looking to make a difference, your contribution matters. 

If you believe in the power of small businesses to strengthen communities, here are two meaningful ways to help. 

1. If you are a philanthropist looking to make a long-term difference, start here. Support programs like GoodBiz, whether financially or through direct partnership. You can donate to https://goodwilleasttexas.org/donate/donate-online/  and https://globalgoodfund.org/donate
2. Reach out to us on LinkedIn if you are interested in bringing this program to your community.
3. Or start closer to home. Buy from a small business, fund a local entrepreneur, or mentor someone who’s just getting started.

GoodBiz is not a silver bullet. But it’s a reminder that real impact often looks like one business plan. One pricing strategy. One confident founder at a time. 

And that’s what lasting change is made of.